Prashant Bhushan cautions Supreme Court: Don't let police crackdowns turn the apex court into a laughingstock

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan took to X on Sunday, sounding an alarm that the Supreme Court could end up as an "object of ridicule" if it does not step in to halt what he described as police brutality against peaceful demonstrators in New Delhi.

His warning comes just hours before the apex court is set to hear a contempt petition filed over the authorities’ alleged breach of its own October 9 order, which had barred a total shutdown of public transport during the so‑called Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) rallies at Jantar Mantar.

In a post that mixed urgency with a hint of frustration, Bhushan wrote, "If the SC does not order the police to stop the violence on peaceful lawyers and other protestors, and does not order the detention of right‑wing goons threatening them, it will not only become irrelevant, it will become a laughingstock in the country and internationally."

The backdrop to his plea is a chaotic scene that unfolded on Saturday. Police swept through the streets surrounding Jantar Mantar, arresting roughly a thousand people – among them prominent opposition figures like AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan.

Lawyers were not spared. Several senior advocates, including a number of women lawyers, were detained near the Supreme Court building itself while trying to join the peaceful rally. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) rushed a petition to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alleging excessive force and demanding immediate redress.

In a related courtroom drama, a Saket Court turned down an application filed on behalf of Ratna Singh, head of legal affairs for the Campaign for Judicial Parity (CJP). Singh had claimed she was illegally confined and barred from attending a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 10, and had asked the court to register a First Information Report against the police.

The protests were sparked by allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a broader demand for the resignation of the chief election commissioner. While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, authorities justified the crackdown by citing security concerns and the potential for unrest.

Opposition parties have signalled that this is far from over. A Congress‑led march is slated for October 12, and other groups have vowed to keep the pressure on until the SIR controversy is addressed.

Bhushan’s stark reminder underscores a growing unease among civil‑society lawyers and activists: that the credibility of India’s highest court may be on the line if it is perceived as turning a blind eye to the rights of demonstrators and the rule of law.